OS noob - Need something LIGHT 512MB RAM

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Limp Gawd
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May 23, 2011
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I have an old Sony Vaio I'm trying to get in good running order. I am in the for saale section looking for a 1GB RAM stick but for now....I have 512MB
I just got everything updated on Win XP SP3.
I am wondering if there is better options? I don't know much about Linux and what I read was that there are a handful of versions to pick through.
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-lightweight-linux-distributions-give-pc-lease-life/
I only have a 60GB IDE HDD for now and really don't plan to change much. The laptop will be for browsing the web, maybe some music/movies, word processing, put together Powerpoint presentations and that's about it. It will be with me in my research lab basically to help pass time and any light work needed.
I do fairly well with software but an OS is something I want to guess on.
The only thing that concerns me is compatibility with MS Office and a Linux OS.
Thanks in advance!
 
I have only used puppy linux out of that list, but it works great in my small experience with it. It's light enough to just run off the RAM. I was running it on a old Dell Dimensions 2400 with 512mb of ram and it was fast. Precise puppy can use the Ubuntu package repository too, quite nice. If anything you can download the(tiny) file and just try it out on the laptop off a USB. I havent tried MS Office on Wine yet but the handful of other programs I've tried work fine other than Media Monkey. Wine make windows .exe files and such run on linux, most the time. But there is always open office if MS Office doesnt work. The best way to find out is to just run it off a live usb/cd and try it out though.
 
Puppy is a solid choice. Lubuntu would be a good one too, lightweight and all the ubuntu repos and PPAs.
 
Salix OS and Vector Linux are choices I like. A good balance between functionality and lightness. Xfce is a great light desktop as well. Both of those are Slackware based. The *ubuntu family of distros are heavier than they should be. Even the so-called light ones.

Arch is wonderful for getting as light as possible, but it has more of a learning curve. I have an eeepc that boots up only using 75 Mb's with its Arch install. Only what YOU want gets installed.
 
+1 to Lubuntu. Its very light, but still has the options to run Ubuntu programs. Using MS office might be some work, but there are nice guides out there. Libre office and Open office are good alternatives.

Puppy linux is very fast, but might be more of an adjustment to begin with if you are used to Windows os

If you wish to try them out without much hazzle, you should download LiLi USB Creator. Puts distro into USB stick fast and easy. :)
 
CrunchBang.

I use this as my primary desktop OS.

I have found that anything less than 1gb makes a fully updated Windows XP installation too slow for me.
 
This is extremely specific to your scenario.

1. Your best bet is upgrade to 1GB RAM or more and stay with Windows XP SP3. If you have 1GB, you can activate a small 128MB RAMDISK to make web browsing slightly faster under certain scenario. You can have more if you have more RAM.
2. Else run Windows XP SP3 with 512MB, as it is.

The two major factors
1. You have minimal needs, as stated
2. Sony VAIO supplies all the driver, power-saving, suspend/resume feature already working properly.

Optional, but relevant in the practical world for individual user
A. Microsft supplies Microsoft Security Essential.

Windows XP is the best overall OS for your scenario, if your only concern is to get the light work done, and move on with your daily life.

However, if you want to spend time exploring new path, obviously you can explore other options, as stated.
 
lightp2 said:
This is extremely specific to your scenario.

1. Your best bet is upgrade to 1GB RAM or more and stay with Windows XP SP3. If you have 1GB, you can activate a small 128MB RAMDISK to make web browsing slightly faster under certain scenario. You can have more if you have more RAM.
2. Else run Windows XP SP3 with 512MB, as it is.

The two major factors
1. You have minimal needs, as stated
2. Sony VAIO supplies all the driver, power-saving, suspend/resume feature already working properly.

Optional, but relevant in the practical world for individual user
A. Microsft supplies Microsoft Security Essential.

Windows XP is the best overall OS for your scenario, if your only concern is to get the light work done, and move on with your daily life.

However, if you want to spend time exploring new path, obviously you can explore other options, as stated.
Click to expand...

How is microsoft supplying MSE a plus? With his specs even XP is slow. The linux options will blow XP out of the water, easily.
 
my assessment of the scenario

quote
. It will be with me in my research lab basically to help pass time and any light work needed.
end quote

1. It will be used for his research lab.
2. In research lab work, you need careful attitude and preparation
3. Generally you should have funding. If you do not have fund to update such an old configuration, you need to work carefully with your work, because, one of the potential needs is for you to have quality research work so that it forms a basis for more funding application.
4. From point 3, you need to work with what you have, work with others, and work with future prospective,
5. In this case, means your work with other people.
6. Practically, many others have Windows. You may need to share work with others, and you need antivirus to ensure two-way safety. Remember it is "research work".

Miscellaneous
1. I agree generally Linux will be faster.
2. Suggestion, if you stay with Windows XP
2.1 Align the partition (Windows XP by default does not align the partition, need special way to align partition). Then re-install Windows XP SP3. Ignore this if you cannot re-install.
2.2 Step 2.1 can give you slightly better I/O performance, even if you are not using SSD. Consideration for very old IDE-based system.
2.3 Remove or disable non-essential services on Windows XP.
2.4 Disable non-essential GUI options. For example, turn off those Fade/Slide-Open/miscellaneous effects.
 
Plane-Jane install of XP SP3 is only going to take a little over 100MB of ram, that's a fine choice. The OS will only be running around 22 services, Linux will not necessarily 'be faster' than that. Many times when people claim Linux is faster is because it's a plane OS install vs bloated Windows install.
 
bigdogchris said:
Plane-Jane install of XP SP3 is only going to take a little over 100MB of ram, that's a fine choice. The OS will only be running around 22 services, Linux will not necessarily 'be faster' than that. Many times when people claim Linux is faster is because it's a plane OS install vs bloated Windows install.
Click to expand...

Have you ever used XP on those machines and compared them to distros like lubuntu or puppy? XP is dog ass slow in comparison.
 
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